Free Horse Racing Tip – Great Voltigeur York
Quality horseracing action is thin on the ground at the moment following Goodwood’s summer highlight last week and the ‘ love it or hate it ‘ Shergar Cup on Saturday heads possibly the weakest weekend of the Flat racing season. Those who prefer to see Group horses in action rather than Class 5 handicappers won’t have long to wait however with York’s prestigious Ebor Festival only two week’s away which is where we look for today’s racing tip.
The Betway Great Voltigeur Stakes on the first day (Wednesday 17th August) nearly always provides significant clues towards the outcome of the final Classic of the season, Doncaster’s St Leger, and this year’s renewal is unlikely to prove any different.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Idaho is sure to take plenty of beating following placed efforts in both the Epsom and Curragh Derby's but at around the 2-1 mark bookmakers are taking no chances. The 8-1 available with the sponsor and Skybet for the Sir Michael Stoute inmate Across The Stars looks much better value to take the 1m 4f trial.
Lightly raced as a juvenile the son of Sea The Stars was sent off a 25-1 chance for Epsom after finishing an unlucky third in the Lingfield Derby Trial where the colt failed to handle the track in finishing a well beaten tenth. The colt is better judged on his most recent effort when running out a game winner of Royal Ascot's King Edward V11 Stakes from Beacon Rock and Muntahaa. The fact that the mount of Frankie Dettori was well ahead of two horses that finished in front of him at Lingfield, including Epsom fourth Humphrey Bogart, indicates that Across The Stars is improving at a rate of knots, a typical trait from the stable's middle-distance three-year-olds.
Stoute also has the option of running another improver in Gordon Stakes winner Ulysees but it is more likely he will rely solely on Across The Stars. While there are 30 possible contenders at this stage it would be no surprise to see the field cut up badly come the day of the race making the 8-1 on offer about Across The Stars a cracking each-way bet.
Great Voltigeur Tip
1 Point each-way Across The Stars 8-1 Betway and Skybet